André M. Rossfelder Papers
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego Library
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Copyright 2013
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Business Number: 858-534-2533
Fax Number: 858-534-5950
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Descriptive Summary
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title: André M. Rossfelder Papers
Creator:
Rossfelder, André
Identifier/Call Number: SMC 0112
Physical Description:
4.5 Linear feet
(3 cartons, 1 flat box, and 4 films)
Date (inclusive): 1947-2006
Abstract: Papers of Algerian-born geologist André Rossfelder detail his varied professional and personal interests. Materials include
research and subject files, biographical information, photographs, patents, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and film
and sound recordings of the Cousteau Diving Saucer. Much of the collection is in French.
Languages:
English
.
Preferred Citation
André M. Rossfelder Papers, SMC 112. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego Library.
Scope and Content of Collection
Papers of Algerian-born geologist André Rossfelder detail his varied professional and personal interests. Materials include
research and subject files, biographical information, photographs, patents, newspaper clippings, correspondence, and film
and Sound recordings of the Cousteau Diving Saucer. Much of the collection is in French.
The collection is arranged in eight series: 1) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) BUSINESS FILES, 4) PATENTS AND
DISCLOSURES, 5) WRITINGS, 6) SUBJECT FILES, 7) PHOTOGRAPHS and 8) AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS.
Biography
André Rossfelder was born in Algeria on May 26, 1925. He joined the French Resistance in 1941, and later served as an officer
in the 1st French Paratroop Regiment. After the war, he completed his education, studying geology and chemical engineering
at the University of Algiers, where he received both his undergraduate (1947) and doctoral degrees (1960).
Rossfelder was active in oil exploration in Algeria, but, due to political events, was forced to leave the country. He came
to the United States in 1965 to work at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in marine geology and ocean technology. In 1969,
he joined Tetra Tech Inc., covering a variety of projects including geomarine engineering and marine mineral resources development.
Then, from 1972 to 1995, Rossfelder ran his own companies. First he founded Geomarex, with the focus of discovering shallow-water
marine mineral resources in the Pacific; then Rossfelder Corp., developing underwater electrical vibrocoring for sediment
sampling, underwater coring and sediment coring
Along with his scientific interests, Rossfelder was an honored writer and historian. His published works included
Clipperton: L'ile Tragique (1976),
Le Onzieme Commandement (2000), and
In Search of Longitude: Magellan and the Antimeridian (2010).
André Rossfelder passed away on February 7, 2011.
Restrictions
Original audiovisual recordings are restricted. Listening/viewing copies may be available.
OFF-SITE STORAGE
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. ALLOW ONE WEEK FOR RETRIEVAL OF MATERIALS.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Marine mineral resources -- 20th century
Marine geophysics -- 20th century
Submarine geology
Rossfelder, André -- Archives
BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 1) BIOGRAPHICAL MATERIAL: Personal documents, résumés, biographical texts, and copies of articles written about Rossfelder.
Interviews and other documents in this series are in French.
Box 1, Folder 2
Personal documents, membership cards, etc
Box 1, Folder 3
Judgment against André Rossfelder and Jean Garcia
1963
Box 1, Folder 4
Interview with Rossfelder and Jean-François Kahn
May 2000
Box 1, Folder 5
Hays, Ken - "Guns, Barges and Mud" [article about Rossfelder]
2000
CORRESPONDENCE
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 2) CORRESPONDENCE: Both business and personal letters to and from Rossfelder. General correspondence is arranged chronologically.
Identified correspondents with multiple letters are arranged alphabetically. Much of the correspondence is in French. Additional
correspondence can be found in the BUSINESS FILES and, in a few instances, in the SUBJECT FILES.
Box 1, Folder 6-7
Miscellaneous correspondents
1949-2005
Box 1, Folder 8
Daniel, Jean (ed.
Caliban)
1949-1950
Box 1, Folder 9
De Condé, Louis
1994-2000
Box 1, Folder 12-13
Laffitte, Robert
1961, 1963, 1992-2002
Box 1, Folder 14
Marine Research & Planning, Inc.
1975-1976
BUSINESS FILES
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 3) BUSINESS FILES: Documents related to Rossfelder's professional life, including files from two companies founded
by Rossfelder - Geomarex, Inc. and Rossfelder Corporation. Materials in this series are in English and are arranged in three
subseries: A) Tetra Tech, Inc., B) Geomarex, Inc. and C) Rossfelder Corp.
A) Tetra Tech, Inc.: Reports, memos, correspondence, patent information and plans for a currentmeter, created while Rossfelder
worked for the company.
B) Geomarex, Inc.: Correspondence, memos, planning documents, maps, designs and research materials for projects under Rossfelder's
first company. Of interest are designs for coring devices and on-water platforms, as well as materials related to the search
for phosphates in the Pacific. Materials have been arranged alphabetically by folder title. Photographs and negatives from
these files have been separated and can be found in the PHOTOGRAPHS series.
C) Rossfelder Corp.: Correspondence, reports, designs, sketches and notes created under Rossfelder's second company. Files
are arranged alphabetically by folder title. Photographs and negatives from these files have been separated and can be found
in the PHOTOGRAPHS series.
Box 1, Folder 17
Drag-Force Currentmeter
1969
Box 1, Folder 18
Proposal - Design of a Deep-Sea Free Surveying Apparatus
1969
Box 1, Folder 22
CEPAC III Expedition
1980-1981
Box 1, Folder 23
Charter agreements
1976-1978
Box 1, Folder 24
Correspondence - Miscellaneous
1975-1987
Box 1, Folder 25
Correspondence - Wacker
1979-1990
Box 1, Folder 26
Design notebook - Vibracorers and drilling systems
1982-1984
Box 1, Folder 27
Equipment weight for lagoon and land work
1980
Oversize FB-461, Folder 1-4
Indo-Pacific Oceanic Phosphates Study, Final Report - Plates
1974
Box 1, Folder 28
Manganese nodules of the Pacific - Correspondence and clippings
1976-1982
Oversize FB-461, Folder 5
Manganese nodules of the Pacific - Map and elevations
ca. 1978
Box 1, Folder 29
P-4 Vibrocorer assembly notes
Box 1, Folder 30
Phosphates of Mataiva
1978-1988
Box 1, Folder 31
MSS Pinafore platform
1984-1985
Box 1, Folder 34
Actuated core noses
1988-2006
Oversize FB-461, Folder 6
Actuated core noses - Plans
1971-2006
Box 1, Folder 35
Company / vibrocoring info
Box 1, Folder 36
Correspondence - Miscellaneous
1988-1997
Box 1, Folder 37
Correspondence - Aqua Survey, Inc.
1996-2003
Box 1, Folder 38
Coring penetrometer
1992-1994
Box 1, Folder 39
Conical sand scoop
1967, 1990
Box 1, Folder 41
Drill rod and casings - Proprietary designs
1977-1979
Box 1, Folder 42
Equipment and drawings, miscellaneous
Box 1, Folder 43
Equipment rental
1986-1997
Box 1, Folder 44
Experience / job histories
Oversize FB-461, Folder 7
Miscellaneous plans
1990-1994
Box 1, Folder 46
Other vibrocorers
1982-1996
Oversize FB-461, Folder 8
P-1, modifications for motors U1-1600 - Plans
1996
Oversize FB-461, Folder 9
P-3 (old) - Plans
1993-1995
Oversize FB-461, Folder 10
Penetration rate meter - Plans
1994
Oversize FB-461, Folder 11
Box 1, Folder 47
Portable coring frame - Plans
1992
Box 1, Folder 49-50
Sketches, notes and correspondence with vendors
Box 1, Folder 52
Vibrocoring notes
1989-1996
Oversize FB-461, Folder 12
Vibrowaterlift, jetting assembly and implements
1984-1990
Oversize FB-461, Folder 13
VT-1, #1 - Prototype and plans
1995-1996
PATENTS AND DISCLOSURES
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 4) PATENTS AND DISCLOSURES: Correspondence, reports, patents and disclosure copies for Rossfelder's many inventions.
Files are arranged chronologically by patent date, with files for specific devices found at the end.
Box 2, Folder 8
Free fall sampler, for Bear Creek Mining Company
1966-1968
WRITING
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 5) WRITINGS: Drafts of unpublished work, research, information and reviews for a number of books, essays and reports
by Rossfelder. However, drafts of published books are not included in the collection. Many of the writings in this series
are in French. Arranged chronologically.
Box 2, Folder 12
"417" - Edited typescript
1947
Box 2, Folder 13
Les Hommes-Frontières (1949) - Information and reviews
Box 2, Folder 14
Fin de Chantier (1952) - Information and reviews
Box 2, Folder 15
Rocade-Sud (1953) - Information and reviews
Box 2, Folder 16-18
English / French Fisheries Technical Dictionary
ca. 1954
Box 2, Folder 19
Provisional Map of the Algerian Continental Margin (1954)
Box 2, Folder 20
La Mer où Tout Commence (1956) - Information and reviews
Box 2, Folder 21
L'Algérie à Bàâtir (1959) - Information, reviews and correspondence
Box 2, Folder 22
Morphométrie des Sédiments Meubles (1958)
Box 2, Folder 23
Le Metier de Geologue Maritime
ca. 1961
Box 2, Folder 24
Rossfelder's foreword for "Outline for a Memoir," by General Joseph Vuillemin
1971
Box 2, Folder 25-28
Le Plan Gorgone - Typescript and manuscript drafts
ca. 1972
Box 3, Folder 1
Le Plan Gorgone - Notes and research
undated
Box 3, Folder 2
Le Plan Gorgone - Correspondence
1972-1979
Box 3, Folder 3
Implosive Anchor Feasibility Study
1973
Box 3, Folder 4
Le Onzième Commandement (2000) - Information and reviews
2000-2001
Box 3, Folder 5
Response to "Ils n'ont toujours rien compris!" article by Philippe Plonchard d'Assac
2001
Box 3, Folder 6
"Pour un Soldat Ennemi" - Edited typescript
undated
Box 3, Folder 7
Various articles and notes
SUBJECT FILES
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 6) SUBJECT FILES: Correspondence, notes, clippings and research material on a variety of subject matter, from Algerian
oil to the 1968 STYX Expedition. The series, arranged by folder title, contains both personal research and professional files.
The bulk of these files contain materials written in French.
Box 3, Folder 13
Algerian losses
1999-2000
Box 3, Folder 15
Aquatic toxicology - Notes
Box 3, Folder 16
Centre de Geologie Marine et de Sedimentologie
1959-1960
Box 3, Folder 17
CNR [National Council of the Resistance], Mont Faron, etc.
1971-2000
Box 3, Folder 18
Feraoun, Mouloud
1957-2003
Box 3, Folder 19
Gardener Atoll and Amelia Earhart
1992
Box 3, Folder 21
Navigation and positioning systems
Box 3, Folder 23
Oued Gueterini (ship)
1988-1990
Box 3, Folder 26
STYX Expedition
1968-1969
PHOTOGRAPHS
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 7) PHOTOGRAPHS: Mainly snapshots, both color and black/white, of research locations, ships and equipment.
Box 3, Folder 28
Baie des Pirogues, Baie Ngo
Box 3, Folder 32
Geomarex Inc. - Manganese nodules of the Pacific work
undated
Box 3, Folder 34
Geomarex Inc. - MSS Pinafore platform project
Box 3, Folder 36
Miscellaneous and unidentified
Box 3, Folder 37
Rossfelder Corp - R/V Tovuto, Fiji
1990
Box 3, Folder 38
Rossfelder Corp - V-T 1, #1
1997 February
AUDIOVISUAL RECORDINGS
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 8) AUDIOVISUAL RECORDINGS: Reel-to-reel sound recordings and 16mm films. These appear to document Scripps Institution
of Oceanography's research using the Cousteau Diving Saucer in the 1960s.
Box 3, Folder 39
Reel-to-reel sound recordings - Coronado and Mugu Canyon (no. 353) dives, Westinghouse Cousteau Diving Saucer
Cousteau Diving Saucer - 16mm films
Oversize FS-158
Cousteau Diving Saucer #1
Oversize FS-159
Cousteau Diving Saucer #2
Oversize FS-160
Cousteau Diving Saucer #3
